Semiconductor device and its manufacture

Abstract

A CCD type solid state image pickup device having: a number of photoelectric conversion elements formed in and on the semiconductor substrate in a matrix configuration of rows and columns; a plurality of VCCDs each having a vertical channel region formed along each column of the photoelectric conversion elements, and charge transfer electrodes formed above the vertical channel region; an HCCD having a horizontal channel region coupled to one ends of the VCCDs, and charge transfer electrodes formed above the horizontal channel region; a floating diffusion formed in the semiconductor substrate and coupled to one end of the HCCD; and an input gate electrode of an output amplifier having a portion extending at least near to the floating diffusion, and the input gate electrode being thinner than the charge transfer electrodes.

What we claim are:  
     
       1. A CCD type solid state image pickup device, comprising: 
       a semiconductor substrate;  
       a number of photoelectric conversion elements formed in and on said semiconductor substrate in a matrix configuration of rows and columns;  
       a plurality of VCCDs each having a vertical channel region formed in said semiconductor substrate along each column of said photoelectric conversion elements, and a first set of charge transfer electrodes formed above the vertical channel region;  
       an HCCD having a horizontal channel region formed in said semiconductor substrate and coupled to one ends of said VCCDs, and a second set of charge transfer electrodes formed above the horizontal channel region;  
       a floating diffusion formed in said semiconductor substrate and coupled to one end of said HCCD; and  
       an output amplifier including a pair of source/drain regions and an input gate electrode traversing above a region between the pair of source/drain regions, the input gate electrode having a portion extending at least near to said floating diffusion, and the input gate electrode being thinner than the first and second sets of charge transfer electrodes.  
     
     
       2. A CCD type solid state image pickup device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a light shielding film covering said VCCDs and said HCCD, said light shielding film having an opening above each of said photoelectric conversion elements. 
     
     
       3. A CCD type solid state image pickup device according to  claim 2 , wherein said input gate electrode is made of a same film as said light shielding film. 
     
     
       4. A CCD type solid state image pickup device according to  claim 2 , wherein said input gate electrode is made of a polysilicon layer.